Elevator system.



E. L. DUNN. ELEvAToR svsEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5. l9l6.

1,287,581 A Patented Doc. 10, i918.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD L. DUNN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD PLUNGER ELEVATOR COMPANY. OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- PORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

atented Dec. 10, 1918.

Original application led August 7, 1909, Serial No. 511,680. Divided and this-application led May 5,

To 1U wlw/ny t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. DUNN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Vorcester and State of illassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevator Systems, of which the following is a full` clear, and exact specilication.

This invention relates to automatic elevator systems and has particular reference to automat-ic signaling systems for dumbwaiters or elevators, wherein the car can be sent to any predetermined floor and automatically stopped when the Hoor is reached.

There a dumbwaiter or elevator system has a considerable number of stops to make and a long run, necessitating several cars, it has been found that more satisfactory operating results can be obtained where the machines are all controlled by a single operator. In order to enable the operator to control one or more cars at the greatest efficiency, it is desirable to provide a signaling system, and such signaling system should embody means whereby delays, not only at the operating station, but at the ioors, may be avoided; and also a system not required to be manually controlled.

In carrying out the invention, I have provided an automatic signaling system for lsuch elevator systems wherein the operator can be signaled from any station when acar is desired for use, who will thereupon send a car to that floor. The arrival of the car at the oor will be indicated to the operator and also to the attendant on the floor, and when the attendantJ is through with the car, an indication of such fact will be made to the operator so that he can send the car to the next station, or back to a cent-ral distributing station. I have provided herein such a signalinff system in combination with an automat-ic c evator wherein at the operating station is provided an indicator for cach car showing t-he progress 0f the various cars from floor to floor, an annunciator showing the iioors at which the car is desired, an audible signal in addition to the visual annunciator for att-racting the attention of the operator; and at the respective stations, signals, preferably audible, for notifying the attendant of the arrival of the car, the whole being arranged to be 'auto- Serial No. 95,560.

matically controlled by the opening and closing of the well-room doors so that the operator need pay no attent-ion to the re-setting of the signals, but simply 'to the signals themselves, and will at all times know just where each car is. The doors themselves, in ay be unlocked automatically by the stopping of the car, so that the sy'stem will become more completely automatic. By such a system, delays at the ioors and the operating station will he very much reduced, and a greater eiiciency of the whole installation obtained, as the operator will always know t-he condition of each car, and have nothing to do with restoring the annunciator or signals.

Thev invention, with respect to one form thereof, is shown in the accompanying diagram, wherein is shown an automatic signaling system for two machines having each three stops, the motor circuits being omitted for the sake of clearness, and also the control for one machine.

D1, U1 and D2, U2, represent the main switch down and up solenoids of two machines which will be hereinafter referred to as No. l machine and No. 2 machine respectively, and I will first brieiiy describe the starting and stopping system for No. l machine, that for No. 2 machine, and as many others as may be desired being similar, but. omitted for the sake of clearness. S1, S2 represent starting switches for the two machines, located preferably at a control station distant from the cars and the oors to which the cars run, and also at this control station are located signals for attracting the attention of the operator when a car is desired by the attendant at any iioor, and signals for at all times indicating to the operator the locations of the various cars, and their condition, whether in service, or ready for service.

Tl and T2 are main line switches from the former of which a wire H leads to up and down automatics L and M. From automatic M a wire V3 leads to a movable contact Ht,

operated by the switch arm P to close circuit at H5, thence by wire V5 to down direction magnet K1, thence to negative side of switch T. The switch H4 is only momentarily closed, being opened automatically by means not necessary to be described herein, but the energization of magnet K1, closes contacts J 2 and thereby energizcs main switch magnet D1, closing the main motor circuit and start-A ing the car downward. In similar manner, the up magnet K is controlled by a switch H1 and contact H3 to send the car up, it being understood that one or the other of these swltches is closed whenever the pointer P 1s moved. In order tostop the car at the predetermined ioor, an arm O traveling with the car completes a' stop circuit from the positive side of switch T through switch X (closed whenever the main switch is closed) and contact N and thence through one or the other of wires R, R1, R2, to corresponding contacts controlled by the starting switch P, and bridged by the switch to negative side of line through resistance Y. When this circuit is closed, the magnets D', U', K, K are short eircuited througha wire leading through resistance Y to arm P thence through wire It, R or R2 through contacts O3, O2 or O1 to arm O, its contact ring and wire leading through contact N to wire W12 connected through switch X to positive side of switch T', thereby opening the main switch and stopping the machine. It will be seen that the switches J7, J 2, close maintaining circuits, which hold the magnets energized, after the switches H4 have opened. Also ina circuit to be controlled simultaneously with the magnets may be placed a door unlocking magnet Q, to unlock the door and permit it to be opened by the attendant when the car has reached that floor, as shown in my Patent No. 987 ,673, dat-ed March 21, 1911. Or other means will be provided for unlocking the door at lwhich the car is to stop. This is desirable, in order that the signals for the attendant and operator may be properly operated. By the combination of door unlocking means controlled by the stopping of the car, and the signal releasing devices controlled by the door, the system both as to signals and control will be entirely au-y tomatic, and the operator will at all times know accurately, the condition of the system, and of each car.

F1, F2, F3 represent door switches for machine No. 1, and F4, F5, F6 corresponding door switches for machine No. 2. X1 is a switch which closes as the main switch solenoid D1 is energized, and X2 a corresponding switch which operates in the same manner at machine No. 2 when solenoid B2 is energized.

First describing the indicators, which are alike for each machine, there is provided a cross-head E1, which is caused to move across the faces of the sets of stationary con tacts l, 2, 3, G1, H1, H2, H3, G3, G3, J1, J2, J3, as the machine moves in one or the other direction. These commutators will ordinarily be driven by a Worm shaft and traveling nut, as is well understood. In a similar manner,

rent to the contacts 1, 2, 3, and thence the current passes through wires W2 to an indicator I for machine No. 1, and thence by returnwire W2 to the negative side of switch T. T he indicator I preferably comprises 'a series of ashlights, one for each oor, which will be lighted one after another as the brush E1 travels over the contacts 1, 2, 3. For machine No. 2, a similar indicator I2 supplied by wires W'1 acts in the same manner. In the position shown, car No. 1, is at the first floor, and car No. 2 at the second floor.

It is desirable to provide an audible signal to attract the attention of the operator to the annunciator signal, and I will now describe the annunciator circuits and then the audible signal circuits. From the positive side of switch T, wire W5 is connected to a bell or buzzer B located at or adjacent the operating station and starting switch, and from the bell B, wire W3 leads to a series of floor push buttons P1, P2, P3. One of these buttons will be at each floor in a System where the cars are used to carry material from a central distributing station to the several floors, or from these several lioors -back to the central station, or where cars run light in either direction between the central station and the respective floors. To enable the operator at any floor to call a car to that ioor and despatch it to another without return to the central station, the complete set of buttons P1, P2, P3 shown may be duplicated at each floor, so that the operator, when at floor 2, having received car No. 2, may load it and then by pressing button No. 3, signal the operator to send this car to floor No. 3. It has been found in practice, however, with dulnbwaiter systems such as this invention is particularly adapted for, that greater efficiency is obtained by operating the cars from a central station, since in liotels, for instance, time is saved by sending different cars to different floors, rather than having one car stop at a number of different floors to pick up or leave material. In most instances, therefore, it will only be necessary to have a single button at each floor. The circuit of push button P1, for instance, leads by wire W7 to a lighting magnet B1, and thence by wire TV3. to the negative side of switch T. The circuit of push button P2 similarly leads to a lighting magnet B2 to f there are lloors. Upon magnet B1 bein energized, its armature closes al circuit rom wire "1 to contacts X11, X1, to wire 7, and thence across contacts X, Xi to wire lV7, so that magnet B1 will remain energized, even after the push button circuit has been opened, as it is only momentarily held closed. The opening of the push button circuit, does however, release the bell or buzzer. At the same time that the holding circuit of magnet B"1 is closed at conta-cts X3 and X1, currentis supplied to wire 71 andthence to the light 3 of the annunciator A, the remainder of ,the circuit being through wire Ws to the negative side of switch T. It thus appears that upon the momentary closing of a push button one or the other of magnets B1, etc., is energized and a corresponding indication made at the annunciator A, from which the operator knows that a car is desired at that floor. At the same time the alarm B sounds, as will be understood, since the alarm is at first in series with the magnets B1, B1, etc., but a single alarm and set of push buttons being required for any number of floors and machines.

Assuming that the opera-tors attention has been attracted by the bell and he has despatched No. l car to the third iioor, contacts X1 are closed, contacts XT are opened by the closing of the main switch, and the brush E1 is moving toward N o. 3 to contacts J3, H3. As contact H2 is engaged the floor bell does not ring, owing to the open .circuit at contacts X7, but as the machine stops at the third floor, the bell BG is in circuit from positive side of switch T through wire 75 to bell B", to wire 71", to contacts H3, G3 by a jumper on blade F.1, wire 711 to contacts X1', X11 which are now closed by the opening of the .main switch, wire 78 to the negative side ot switch T. 7hen the contacts X1 were closed by the closing of the main switch in either direction, the controlling magnet A1 was energized, its circuit being through contacts X1 and wire T7712, resistance R to negative side of switch T1. As contacts X1 open and the machine stops, the magnet A1 is not denergized, as it receives current through the door switches F1, F2, F3 and magnet switch contact-s X10 controlled by the. magnet A1. The floor bell B, therefore continues ringing until the door switch circuit is opened, which denergizes the magnet A1 and opens the hell circuit at contact X0. When the door is closed again, the bell does not ring as the magnet A1 can only receive starting current through contacts X1, which remain open until the main switch closes, but the annunciator light is automatically extinguished by the closing of the door as follows:

As the contacts X11 are now connected, the high voltage current passes from positive side of switch T1 through door switches F1,

F2, F1, contacts X11 and wire 711, thence to magnet A2, and resistance R to the negative side of the line. This energizes the magnet A2 and closes contacts X1, X14, Vmaking a circuit momentarily through extinguishing magnet C, denergizing the lighting magnet B, thereby opening the annunciator circuit. It will therefore be seen that the annunciator circuit is not affected by the stopping, and that the light remains lighted while the door is open, thus notifymg the operator that the door i5 open at the floor where the car is stopped only, and as soon as the door is closed the extinguished light shows that the machine can n ow be operated safely. The circuit of extinguishing magnet U1 extends from positive side ofswitch T through wire 71, contacts X3, X1, wire 79, extinguishing magnetC, wire 713, contacts J11, Gr1, wire 711, controlling magnet contacts X11, X11, wire 78, to the negative side of switch T. When the extinguishing magnet C3 is energized the circuit of lighting magnet B1" is opened at contacts X, X, and the lighting magnet B1" thus opens the' circuit of entinguishing` magnet C1 at contacts X1", X1, as well as the annunciator light circuit. Controlling magnet A2 remains in circuit while the machine is at rest, but when the machine starts, it is deiincrgized by the opening of contacts X11. It will therefore be seen that the magnet A1 sets the floor bell circuit to be completed at the proper floor by the brush E1 bridging contacts H1, H2 or H1 and contacts G5, and that this circuit is opened by the opening of the door, but that the annunciator circuit at the operators station remains in condition to give an indication not only While the machineA is at rest with the door closed, but while the door is open, heilig onlyY extinguished when the door is closed after having once been opened. The other circuits for different oors and dii'- ferent machines will be the same as those just described, and particular reference and explanation need not be made thereto. In the event of two cars arriving at the same Hoor simultaneously, the bell at that floor would ring until both the doors were opened as the signal machines are cross-connected in parallel.

It is thoughtthat the advantages of the system will be fully understood from the foregoing description, wherein it will be seen that the system is completely automatic in operation after the floor push buttons have been operated. While bells have been shown at the various floors to notify the attendantsof the arrival of the cars, in many instances"`pilot lights may be shown where the noise of bells and buzzers would be objectionable. Such a system has a number oi' advantages, of which the principal one is that the attendants are automatically notilied that a car is waiting, and the operator is likewise automatically notlfied when the attendant is through with the car, while at the same time the an'nunciator is restored.

Thus the operator docs not have to give attention to the annunciator, as each individual car takes care of its own annunciator, and there is no loss of time at the ioors or at the operating station.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 511,680, filed August 7, 1909, patented May 23, 1916, N o. 1,184,169, and the claims herein are consequently directed t0 the novel features of signal mechanism irrespective of the place or character of motor control.

Having thus described my invention, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination in an elevator system, of a call signal for indicating the destination of a car, a signal at the ioor for automatically indicating the arrival of the car, means for releasing said signal upon opening of the door, and means for releasing said call signal upon closing of the door. o

2. In an elevator system, the combination with a loor signal, of means traveling with the car for setting the ioor signal circult, and means controlled by the openingl of the main switch in stopping the car for energizing said signal.

3. In an elevator system, the combination with a floor signal, of means traveling wlth the car for setting the floor signal clrcuit, means controlled by the opening ofA the main switch in stopping the car for energizing said signal, and means controlled by the well door for releasingI said signal.

A 4. In an elevator system comprising a car, a plurality of oor stations and a central control station, the combination with means at the central station to indicate the location of the car relatively to the floor stations, o f signal means at said central station for lndieating to the operator there that the car is no longer needed at a (given floor, said s ignal means being depen ent for its actuation upon the arrival of a car at said floor and the opening and closing of the elevator door thereat.

5. In anelevator signal system, the combination with a call signal at a ixed station for indicating at what floor a car 1s desired, a signal at the floor announcing the arrival of the ear thereat, means for shuttin# off said signal at the ioor upon opening o? the elevator door and maintaining said signal shut ol upon closing of the door, and means whereby the closing of the elevator door at said floor is automatically indicated at said station to show that the car is no longer required at that iloor.

6. In an elevator slgnal system, the comi bination with a signal at each floor adapted to announce the arrival of a car at that floor,

. an electric circuit for actuating said. signal,

control means for said circuit rendered effective only by the stopping of a car at. said floor to o crate said signal and announce the arrival o the car, and means for shutting oil' said signal.

7. In an elevator system com rising a plurality of door stations, the com ination with ajoor signal at one of said stations for indicating the arrival of the car thereat, of means for sto ping the car at said door, and means contro led by said stopping means for actuating said signal so as to indicate the arrival of the car at said station only when the car stops there.

8. In an elevator system having a plurality of floor stations and a contro station, the combination with a car adapted to stop at any; of the floor stations, of a signal system t erefor comprising a call signal at the control station adapted when actuated to ndicate the Hoor at which a car is desired, means for shutting 0H said call signal, and means renderin said shuttin o means ineffective to wit draw said cal signal until said car has stopped at the correspondingv floor station.

9. In an elevator signal system, the combination with a visual call signal at a fixed station for indicating the floor at which a car is desired, means for restorin said signal to show that the car is no onger Itequired at that floor, and means for maintaining said restoring means ineii'ective until the car has stopped at said floor.

10. In an elevator signal system, the combination with a call signal at a fixed station for indicating the ioor at which a car is desired, a ioor signal for indicating the arrival .of the car at said oor, means for releasing both of said signals, and means for maintaining said releasing means ineffective until the elevator door is moved.

11. In an elevator signal system, the combination with an annunciator signal at a fixed station adapted to be energized from any ioor, a set of call signals corresponding to each iioor at said station, means at each floor for energizing said annunciator and call signals to draw attention and indicate the floor at which a car is desired, a floor signal indicating the arrival of the car at the door, means for releasing said annunciator signal, means for releasing said loor signal by opening of the elevator door, and means for releasing said call signal by closing of said door.

12. In an elevator syst-em comprising a car, a plurality of floor stations, corresponding doors and a fixed central station, the combination of signal means at the central station to indicate that a car is Wanted at a particular iioor, means operable manually at each Hoor station initially to give a signal indication at the central station, means to continue an indication there automatically, means to change such indication upon closure of a corresponding door subject to arrival of the car thereat and opening of said door, means to indicate at the central sta` tion the location of the car relatively to the ioor stations, means to indicate at each floor stat-ion the arrival and stoppage of the car thereat, and means to change such indication upon the opening of a corresponding door.

13. In an elevator system comprising a car, a control station and a plurality of floor stations having doors, the combination With signal operating means at each ioor station for indicating that a car is Wanted at that floor, of a signal at each floor station for indicating the arrival of a car thereat, means for operating said signal upon the stoppage of the car at the corresponding floor, and means for maintaining said signal in operation until the elevator door at said Hoor is opened.

14. In an elevator system comprising a car, a plurality of'floor -stations and a central control station, the combination with signals at said control station for indicating the position of the car relatively to said floor stations, of signal means for indicating at said central station the condition of said car comprising signal means adapted to be actuated from said floor stations and means for preventing actuation of said signal means from a given floor station until the car has stopped at said station.

15. In an elevator system comprising a car, a plurality of floor stations, corresponding doors and a fixed central station, the combination of signal means to indicate at the e'entral station the location of each car relatively to the floor stations, means to indicate at each lioor station the arrival and stoppage of a car thereat, and means to change such indication upon the opening of a corresponding door.

16. In an elevator system comprising a plurality of cars, floor stations, corresponding doors and a fixed central station, the combination of signal means at the central station to indicate that a car is wanted at a particular floor, means operable manually at each floor station initiall to give a signal indication at the centra station, means to continue an indication there automatically, means to change such indication upon closure of a corresponding door subsequent to arrival of a car thereat and opening of said door, means to indicate at the central station the location of each car relatively to the licor stations, means to indicateat cach floor station the arrival and stoppage of a car thereat, and means to change such indication upon the opening of a corresponding door.

17. In an elevator system comprising a car, a plurality of floor stations and a central control station, the combination With signals at said central station for calling and releasing the car, of means for operating said signals from said lioor stations, and means preventin operation of said signals to indicate the re ease of the car except from the floor to which the car has been sent.

18. In an elevator system comprising a plurality of cars, floor stations, corresponding doors and a xed central station, the combination therewith of signal means at the central station to indicate that a car is wanted at a particular Hoor, means to automatically indicate at each floor station the arrival and stoppage of a car thereat, and means to change such indication upon the openin of a corresponding door.

19. n an elevator system comprising a plurality of cars, floor stations, corresponding doors and a fixed central station, the combination of means to indicate at the central station the location of each car relatively to the floor stations, and means to indicate at the central station the closure of a door at a floor station subsequent to arrival of a car thereat and opening of said door.

20. In an elevator system comprising a plurality of cars, oor stations, corresponding doors and a fixed central station, the combination of signal means at the central station to indicate that a car is Wanted at a lparticular floor, means to automatically indicate at each floor station the arrival and stoppage of a car thereat, and means to change such indication only upon opening the corresponding doors for all of the cars stopped at? said lloor.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature,

' in presence of two witnesses..

EDWARD L. DUNN. Witnesses B. E. GARRE'rr, 

